1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to machines for conditioning and dispensing insulation materials, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved apparatus for mixing, conditioning, and dispensing a mixture of wet and dry loose fill insulation materials.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Fibrous materials such as glass fiber materials, cellulose fibers, expanded mica, granulated rock wool, and granulated mineral fiber wools, have long been used to insulate walls and attics. These materials are commonly known as "loose fill" insulation material. Loose fill insulation materials are often blown into attics and walls in a dry and "fluffy" condition. This dry material will be referred to hereinafter as "dry insulation material". To provide the insulation material with adhesion qualities that will cause the insulation material to stick or bond to a selected surface, dry insulation material is moistened and treated with an adhesive during the blowing process. This moistened material will be referred to hereinafter as "wet insulation material".
Once the insulation material has been blown onto a surface, a portion of the material is often scraped off of the surface to provide a level or even layer of insulation. As a result, a substantial quantity of insulation material is wasted. In an effort to recycle the scraped off material, it is occasionally mixed with additional dry material. However, problems are often encountered in that the wet and dry material are not properly proportioned and conditioned, thus resulting in clumps forming in the insulation material or the wet portion of the material becoming to wet upon being remoistened which can negatively alter the density of the insulation material. Well mixed and conditioned insulation material is more easily dispensed and applies more evenly and thoroughly. Thus, the conditioning of the insulation material is important in that it significantly affects both the application and the performance of the insulation material.
To this end, a need exists for an apparatus which can effectively mix and condition recycled wet insulation material with dry insulation material and dispense the conditioned insulation material. It is to such an apparatus that the present invention is directed.